Our History

Westlake Engineering's Target Pistols

Britarms 2000

In the year 1986 Alan purchased Britarms and
brought the Britarms .22 target pistol back into production. Once Rachel finished college she joined the company and started making the Britarms .22 pistols. The Britarms .22 wasa .22LR Five shot semiautomatic pistol.During this time they also converted Smith and Western revolvers for U.I.T (I.S.S.F) target shooting.

Minimum recoil prototype

Then came the infamous 1997 ban which destroyed the
sport of target pistol shooting for tens of thousands and caused the demise of approximately half of the rifle and pistol clubs in Britain. Due to this Alan then started to manufacture the
Pheonix for disenfranchised I.S.S.F pistol shooters. The Pheonix wasa Cal.36 in line striker Muzzle loading pistol. The Barrel/Receiver is made from Stainless steel, the frame is Anodized Aluminium, The Grip is carved from Walnut and
had an adjustable palmshelf. The Rearsight was adjustable for Windage and Elevation.

The
Pheonix

A simplified version, the Clubmaster, was also developed to
make a less expensive pistol. One downside to the Phoenix was that it used black powder and the
amount of cleaning the firearm required after use spurred Alan on to begin Nitro Powder Conversions.

The Clubmaster

The Nitro powder conversions of revolvers consisted of a new two
part Stainless Steel cylinder of Alan's design in the original calibre, later came rebarreling in .38. The first firearm to be converted this way was the .38 Remington black powder revolver
which was then followed by the Ruger Old Army and the Rogers and Spencer. The Matchmaster Shroud was fitted to the Remington Army Revolver to give it a modern sight system and
looks.

The
Matchmaster Shroud

Then Alan started to work with the
Britarms .22 again, except this time he converted it to the Britarms .22 long pistol. The Barrel shroud got machined away in front of the frame mounting lug, up as far as the centre line of the
Barrel tube. This left a spur at the top on which the front sight is mounted. The Barrel tube was 300mm long and 12mm in diameter. A 5mm Diameter Balance weight rod was permanently fitted to the rear
of the frame, bringing the total length of the pistol to over 600mm. Other than that, it was identical to the original 5 shot semi auto .22 Britarms Standard Pistol.

Britarms .22 long pistol

Due to the cost of converting the Britarms
Alan decided to start converting Buckmark .22 rifles into long pistols, into either the standard or the lightweight version. This was a Blowback action .22 LR Semi-Automatic Long Pistol. It had a ten
shot magazine which the bolt locked back after the last shot. To bring the centre of gravity back for single handed shooting, a balance rod with adjustable weights was fitted. The
lightweight model also had the barrel turned down and the muzzle end threaded facilitating the fitting of an aluminium nut and shroud tube. As of 2017 Browning have stopped suppling the UK with the
Buckmark, but if a customer can provide the rifle Alan will still do the conversion. (see products)

Browning Buckmark rifle and long pistol

During the same time as making the Buckmark conversions Alan
also converted the Taurus. The Taurus ML Revolver was converted from a Taurus .357 Magnum Long Barrelled Revolver. The cylinder was removed and a Yoke extension fitted, this contained the
spring-loaded plunger that freed the action when the yoke was closed. As this extension cannot be removed it prevented the re-fitting of the original cylinder. The Barrel was shortened to
approximately 5 ¼ inches and the wristbrace was removed.

Taurus M/L Revolver

Alan then went on to the Armscore due to Taurus refusing to
supply a smaller company with their wares. The Armscor of the Phillipines modified their .38 Spl Revolvers to Alans designs and manufactured for him, a Cal.357" Nitro burning Muzzle Loading Revolver,
that fires .357" diameter 148gr Wadcutter bullets, using Herco smokeless nitro powder, ignited by 209 shotgun primers.

Armscor
M/L Revolver

Britarms and the Home Office

Below are some details of the shamefull way
the Home Office acted in trying to prevent the production of the Britarms Long Pistol.

Before I commenced work on resurrecting the
Britarms as a Long Pistol, I contacted My local Firearms licensing department to ask their views on the pistols legality. They contacted the Home Office who could see no problems with the pistol. So
I commenced work on making and testing the prototype Britarms Long Pistol.

When I sent my Firearms Certificate in
for variation, I asked for something in writing from the Home Office, so I could tell my customers exactly what they should ask for, when requesting a variation to their FAC in order to be able to
purchase a Britarms LP.

This prompted a change of heart from the Home
Office who now "think" it may be a prohibited firearm under section 5 of the Firearms act.

Here are some of the relevant E
mails

Email 18 May 2004 to Wiltshire
Firearms Licencing Dept.

Further to our telephone conversations about
the Britarms .22 Semi automatic Long Pistol.

Could you please confirm for me, what my customers should ask for, when requesting for a variation to put a Westlake Britarms 5 shot .22 semi Automatic Long Pistol, on to their FAC, in order to
ensure that they are unlikely to have problems from other police forces.

Any references to relevant Home Office literature you could provide would also be of great help, should someone run into a less well informed firearms department in another county.

I look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your help.
Yours sincerely
Alan Westlake.

Email 3rd. June 2004 from the Home
Office

Dear Mr Westlake,
I am sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, but I have been discussing the status of the Britarm with senior officers and a final view has only just crystallized.
Although the Morini Pardini, a long barrelled single shot target pistol with counterbalance arms was recently held by a court not to be a prohibited weapon, the judge was careful to say that the
judgment applied specifically to the Morini and nothing else. His determination was based, in part at least, on the fact that the Morini's counterbalance arms were not easily detachable. He went on
to say that "if other pistols with other types of rods came to be considered, then other considerations might apply".

In the case of the Britarm, one of these other considerations might be firepower. The Morini is single shot whereas the Britarm offers five rounds without recharging.

In view of this, the Home Office is minded to play this on the cautious side and conclude that, unless proven otherwise, the Britarm is a weapon prohibited by section 5(1)(aba) of the Firearms Act
1968 (as amended).

Of course, this is only an opinion. Ultimately, only a court of law can make a definitive judgement on the status of any particular firearm

Email 3rd. June 2004 To Home
Office

Dear XXXXX,

It would be an understatement to say that I find your decision disappointing. I find it hard to understand the reasoning behind it. Before I spend time and effort on preparing a case, please ask your
superiors to reconsider their decision and to take into account the enclosed picture. The upper firearm is a Ten shot.22LR Browning Buckmark Carbine, less the Woodwork, it is 27 inches long. The
lower is the Eight shot Brno Kora .22 LR Revolver Carbine, less the stock. It is approximately 25 inches long.

If these are section 1 Firearms, how can you justify refusing the Britarms on account of Firepower? Furthermore, the pistol will be eligible for use in all the competitions that the NSRA are
organising for the single shot Long pistols, and eligible for use in international Free pistol competitions. So you cannot say that there are no legitimate competitions for it. Also, after the 2004
Olympics the Rapid fire competition must be shot with .22 Standard Pistols. Our National Rapid fire squad would be able to train in this country with a Long Pistol, then use their Standard Pistol
abroad.

If you can tell me how, in any way, this pistol does not comply with the Firearms Laws, I will see if it can be modified to comply. I thought I had manufactured a pistol that did comply and I will
appreciate your advice on the matter.

I look forward to an early reply.

Alan Westlake.

Email 3rd. June 2004 From the Home
Office

Dear Mr Westlake,

I was under the impression that my message of 3 June had answered your question. Our current opinion is that the Britarm is probably a weapon prohibited by s5(1)(aba) of the Firearms Act 1968 (as
amended). That will continue to be our opinion unless and until a court of law decides otherwise.

Signed,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So there you have it. Perhaps if I had been a
Bulgarian Business man things may have been different. As far as the Home Office is concerned I and the Wiltshire Police must fight it out in Court, please also note that Wiltshire Rate payers
will foot the Bill, not the Home Office Budget. Oh, and me of course.

Sitrep on 10th September
2004

The Wiltshire Police have just refused to
revoke my FAC in respect of the Britarms prototype. The force Armourer has inspected the pistol and it was taken to an ACPO meeting in the West Country. Nobody could say why it might be Section 5. So
they say it is a Section 1 Firearm and I may have it on my FAC for Target shooting.

However the Home Office today reiterated
their position that they "think" it "may" be section 5.I think the Moon may be made from cream cheese, but the facts indicate otherwise. The Home Office Ministers wishes don't necessarily make
it so.

I am writing to all the police Authorities to
ask if they will issue Variations for the pistol, I will let you know how I get on.In the mean time. If you want a Britarms Long Pistol, the price is £950.00.

Contact your local firearms office and
if they will give you a variation, send me a £50,00 deposit and I will commence to make you one.I look forward to hearing from you.Alan Westlake.

Sitrep at 24th September
2004

On my return from a trip to France I found I
have received a letter dated 15th September from the Secretary of ACPO Administration of Firearms and Explosives Licensing Committee.

He tells me that the Sub Committee will be
meeting on 23rd September and "The Chair Mr. Simon Taylor, would like to take the opportunity to discuss issues concerning the categorisation of this gun at this upcoming
meeting"

So, I am waiting to hear what the result of
their disscusions has been. I will let you all know as soon as I hear from them again.Keep taking the pills, Alan.

Sitrep on 12th October
2004

I had a Phone call from one of the ACPO
members asking me if I was building the pistols from scratch or if I was adapting Britarms Pistols to Long Pistols...... I explained that I was using the "unfinished" parts that the Home Office
refused to compensate me for, (They would only pay for parts completed and ready for sale in quantities of ten or more) and that I had asked to be returned to me. I then manufacture any parts I am
short of to make the complete "Long Pistol"

Did they really think that I would convert a
section 5 pistol into a Long Pistol ? Don't they realise that its against the Law ?

Anyway that was on the 27th or 28th I can't
remember precisely. I have heard nothing since.

I got fed up waiting for an answer, so I have
started work on a Prototype Britarms .22 Semi Auto Carbine. I hope to have it completed for you to look at during the Trafalger Meeting at Bisley on 23/24 October 2004.

I will let you know the results of the
deliberations of ACPO as soon as they tell me.

Chairman of the Administration of Firearms and Explosives Licensing Committee

Date 15th October 2004
Dear Mr Westlake,

Britarms Long Arm Pistol

Thank you for your letter concerning the Britarms Long Arm Pistol which has been previously acknowledged-and also the information you provided to ACC Adrian Whiting which has been considered. I write
in my capacity of Chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Firearms and Explosives Licensing Sub-Committee and therefore represent the views of ACPO.

The categorisation of the Britarms Long Arm Pistol was discussed at the last meeting of the sub­committee following previous examination of the weapon. It is my considered opinion that this weapon
falls within the parameters that define a section 1 firearm as long as the gun has not at any time been a section 5 firearm.

I have informed all police forces in England and Wales of this decision. I stress that this is an opinion and ultimately the decision as to the categorisation of this weapon lies with the Courts.
Obviously, the Courts will only be called upon should a chief constable feel it necessary to make a local decision to challenge this opinion by refusing to add such a gun to a firearms certificate.If
you have any further queries then please contact my staff officer, inspector Kris Barnard, on DD: XXXXXXXXXXorkkkkkk@kkkkkkkk.( DELETED SO YOU CAN'T SPAM THE POOR GUY, AS IF YOU WOULD THINK OF SUCH A THING ! A.W.)
Yours sincerely,
Simon P Taylor

It seems that we can prevail in spite of the
blatant mis-use of power by the Home Office, to try to prevent this pistol from coming into production in spite of it complying with the Law as written, not as wished it was written by the Home
Office.

They really are a bunch of XXXXXXXX arn't
they.

If you are interested in having a Britarms
made for you, give me a ring on 01722 782432 or Email me at alan@westlakeengineering.com and put in for a variation for a Britarms Long Arm Pistol.